I was blessed to find this on sale after I had read the first book in this series, "Something Old", so the value was spectacular! This is a sweet story of a young Mennonite girl who is selfish and willful. She learns, through the ups and downs the Lord brings into her life. what selfishness does to even a pretty girl who follows all the "rules" of her denomination. She is trying to earn grace with God by following the ways with which she was reared, only to learn that the way she behaves means more to God than being legalistic.

After falling in love with a wonderful young man who is of another denomination, and feeling that she cannot be united with this good Christian man because of it, she almost loses him. Then God shows her what is really important is to follow His lead and her conscience rather than man-made laws. She is a more gracious, kind and loving person after she learns this important

lesson.

The continuing story of the three cousins who long ago names themselves "3 Bean Salad" at a summer church camp. Lil, Meagan, and Katy remained friends all through their teens and into adulthood. One of their goals was to live together as adults before they marry. How does that work out??? I recommend reading the first book to get a whole picture, but this book is good on its own as well.

Lots of surprises along the way made this an interesting story. I was pleased with the way things turned out. I'm a real sucker for a happy ending, & I was not disappointed with this book. I would recommend it for adults and teens alike. Maybe a mother and daughter could read it and discuss their own relationship in light of the things that Lil learns about her mother and family and how she relates to them. I truly enjoyed it!

Lil Landis had dreams. She wanted to live in the doddy house with her best friend and be the Head Chef of a restaurant. Both were things that weren't common for a Conservative Mennonite. Young Women stayed home with their parents until they were married and they also didn't hold jobs outside the home. Lil was getting closer to living out her dreams when her mother became depressed. Lil was working at a restaurant as a cook. She was also living with her friend, Megan Weaver, when she was asked to go home to help with her mother. To make matters worse, her father confided in her that they may lose their farm.

One day, Lil accidentally backed into the car Fletch Staufffer was driving. Fletch was going to school to be a Veterinarian. He also was Mennonite, but went to a more liberal church. They both felt an instant attraction to one another. One day Fletch showed up with Lil's brother, Matt, for a family get together. They began to date, against her father's wishes. The biggest obstacle in their relationship was the difference in their beliefs

Fletch was the child of missionaries. His father had always seemed too busy to have a father-son relationship with him. A contributor to the missions, Marshall Lewis, stepped in as a father figure to Fletch. Marshall asked Fletch to do something that was unethical. Fletch could jeopardize his veterinary career if he chose to please Marshall. With Marshall paying for his schooling he felt pressure to do it. Fletch would have to let down either Marshall or Lil and her family with his actions.

Somebody was let down by Fletch's choice, besides Fletch himself. Who does Fletch hurt with his decision? Does Lil ever fully achieve her dreams? Do Lil and Fletch work out their differences? Read Something New to find out.

This is a clean, inspirational book so I was a little surprised that there were things such as, how Fletch seemed obsessed with Lil's waist and referring to Lil, "She smiled seductively" in it. I also wasn't sure of the ages of Lil and her friends. Lil seemed a little immature, she was always calling her cousin "Chump." I thought the ending was a little abrupt, there needed to be something more between the last two chapters. All that aside, I enjoyed the book. I found myself pulling for Fletch. Like most people in a questionable situation, he didn't realize he had choices. Lil seemed to be a little spoiled. She didn't like wearing Plain clothes, she couldn't stand living on a farm. By the end of the book Lil realized that she wasn't trusting God with her life and His plans for her. The main theme of this book is forgiveness. Each character needed forgiveness or to offer forgiveness in one form or another. It reminds us that we all need to have forgiveness in our own lives. I look forward to reading the other books in this series.

Plain City Bridesmaids Series

Something Old #1

Something New #2

Something Borrowed #3 (out 8/12)

I received a free copy of this e-book from NetGalley for my honest review.

Something New, written by Dianne Christner, is book two in The Plain City Bridesmaids series. You do not have to read the others in the series to enjoy this book.

Lil Landis does not like living on the family farm. She would rather be a successful head chef. Her family needs her help as they go through some difficult times but helping them is hindering her ability to follow her dream.

When Lil literally runs into Fletch Stauffer she does not realize how much that encounter will change her life. Fletch is not happy with his current job and has dreams of his own. Will they fall in love and follow their dreams or take different paths that will tear them apart?

The story is set in a Mennonite community in the state of Ohio. The setting plays an important part in the story and the story itself would not have worked unless set there. You can't really call this a romance or an adventure story. It is really just a story of two young people and how their lives change after meeting. The romance between them is there but is not the predominate story line. Overall this is a good book but not one I would read again.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for the copy of this book I enjoyed reading. I gave an honest review based solely on my opinion of what I read.

"Something New" is an excellent read! I really enjoyed "Something Old" and thought it couldn't be matched, until I read "Something New". Dianne Christner has really let God lead her in her writing. This is obvious by the quality of the books she writes. I can hardly wait for book 3 in the series! Thank you, Dianne Christner, for blessing others with your talent.

Lil and Fletch's struggles are so true to life and typical of what many young people face today. They learn to trust God and let Him lead them in life's journey. This is something everyone should read, young people and older.